EQUIPMENT STORES IN KOLKATA: For Camping, Hiking, Mountaineering

Here is a list of the stores in Kolkata dealing with camping, hiking and mountaineering equipment. Hope this will be helpful for some:

THE ADVENTURE QUEST
Shop No- 33, Devi Market, 83, S. P. Mukherjee Rd., Near Jotin Das Park Metro Stn. and Kalighat Church, Kolkata- 700 026
Contact: Mr. Parthasarathi Dutta
Phone: +91-9830022010, +91-9432280680
Email: partha@taqindia.com, vis_1995@yahoo.co.in
Website: www.taqindia.com

UBAC
34, Mahatma Gandhi Rd., Raja RAM Mohan Roy Sarani, Kolkata – 700 009
Phone: +91-33-2360 7970, +91-33-2351 2628, +91-33-2354 3627
Mon- Fri 1.30 am to 6 pm / Sat 12 noon to 6 pm

ALPINE
18/6, Ballygunge Place (E), Ballygunge, Kolkata - 700019
Contact: Mr. Dilip Naskar, Mr. Sudeb Hazra
Phone: +91-9830194296, +91-33-26434319
Closed on Sun and Mon / Off. hrs 3 pm to 7 pm

IDRIS
6/14, Nilmoni Haldar Lane, (Top floor), Near Jyoti Theatre, Kolkata- 700 013
Phone: +91-33-2245 5154

RIA MOUNT SUPPORT
4/2 A, Waterloo Street, 2nd Floor, (Near Amber Hotel, Lane Beside Paradise Cinema, Esplanade), Kolkata- 700 069
Phone: +91-33-2213 5048
Works:
3, D. N. Street, Harinavi, Kolkata
Contact: Satyajit Kar
Phone: +91-98831 76092 , +91-94320 75370

CAMP CRAFT
25 A, Nehru Colony, Regent Park, Kolkata- 700 040
Phone: +91-33-2471 5107, +91-9433077447
Email: camp_craft@rediffmail.com

SNOW DOWN MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT
Phone: 2683 7111, 2685 0590
Hooghly, Kolkata

YAK EQUIPMENT
9, Sahid Kanai Kanan, Ru De Morera St., Barasat, Hooghly- 712 136
Phone: +91-33-2683 8007
Email: yakequip_cal@yahoo.com

CHAKRA EQUIPMENTS
Shyambazar, Kolkata
Phone: +91-33-2530 0648.

CLIFFLINE
Santoshpur.
Contact: David
Phone: +91-33-2416 0155, +91-9433279318

HI-TREK
Sapuipara, Near Savarni Ashram, Bally.
Phone: +91-33-2646 0979, +91-33-2646 2451, +91-9433209592
Closed on Thu and Sun / Off. hrs 2pm to 8pm

ALPINE 360 DEGREES
Head Office: 39/2, Sarada Chatterjee Lane, Opp. Power House, Kadamtala, Howrah- 711 101
Branch: 40B, Gokul Baral Street, Near Raja Subodh Mullick Sqaure Jagannath Bari, Kolkata- 700 012
Phone: +91-33-2643 4619, +91-9231581177
Fax: +91-33-2829 0752

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(If any data needs correction or updation, please do inform me and I will do the needful)

HMI, DARJEELING: 20 days to go

If you refer to my earlier post (http://srikantchakraborty.blogspot.com/2011/02/next-dream-hmi-darjeeling-d.html), I had mentioned about my plans- how to prepare for the Basic Mountaineering Course at HMI, Darjeeling, scheduled for September 2011, about my injury, etc.

The HMI Basic Mountaineering Course (or BMC) Batch No- 285 training starts on the 15th of September, 2011. 20 more days to go, and I am hardly ready for it. I can hardly run for an hour continuously, hardly do more than 15 pull-ups in 3 sets! So, am I going to get kicked out of the course for not being fit enough? May be, may be not!

Well, here is the present status in detail-
1) Every morning I run 4 kms, which takes about 24- 25 minutes. Done 3 days a week.
2) I hike 10 kms with 15 kgs load in my backpack. Done 3 days a week.
3) Regular strength training in the gym, special focus on leg, core and shoulder muscles.

Whatever I do, anything might happen out there- failure to prove that I am fit for mountaineering, injury, sickness, etc,. and I might be out of the course. Or, everything might go really well and I come home with a Grade A, qualified to go for the Advanced Course. Or, I might get married after the course, get busy with my work and never get a chance to see the Himalayas again..... 'anything' might happen. But, 'whatever' happens, there are some things that I have realised and learnt in these few months of training for this course, which I will never forget or compromise:
- I have never ever wanted to do anything so badly in my life, as mountaineering. I don't know why.
- Putting in that maximum effort, and that little extra bit, whether it makes you successful or not, is a feeling of accomplishment in itself. The realisation that I had tried hard without any compromises, is a good feeling.
- There is really no alternative to hard work....although an old and popular saying, I reaslised it now- a little too late- unfortunately. But another old saying consoles me instantly- Better Late than never! 
- The best part of all- I could quit a 13 years old habit! Yeah, I don't feel the nicotine urge anymore, it's gone for good. Feels great! Really. I feel light, healthy, more energetic and lot more confident.

So, getting back to where I started, even if I do not get to climb even a single peak in my life, what I have gained in this process, is priceless. I am happy.